What is the difference between hot and neutral wiring?

Answer by  pallaturck (153)

The hot wire is the one that is actually driven by the power company (most houses have two hot wires and one neutral). The neutral wire acts as a "ground" for the hot wires, always maintaining zero volts. The hot wires have a non-zero voltage.

Answer by  MrHardware (369)

The hot wiring is carrying current away from your service (breaker) panel through the home while the neutral wire carries current back to the service panel.

Answer by  geethapriya (239)

Hot wiring have power it will get shock but neutral wire will have positive charge and negative charge, so it will not get shock

Answer by  Jdog37 (592)

The hot wire is the wire that carrys the current to the plug or switch. It is what will electrocute you. A neutral is the return wire to the panel and is color coded with white. The hot is color coded with black in normal residential wiring. Don't always assume a white wire is a neutral though.